Vucic: Important discussions ahead on energy situation

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday he would speak with Russian, US and European partners this week to find the best solution for Serbia when it comes to the energy situation and that, unless a solution was found this week, Serbia would next week make its own decisions to protect its population.

"After problems with the (US) sanctions on (Serbia's Russian-majority owned oil company) NIS, two difficult things have happened to us. One is the sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, especially Lukoil. They will take effect on November 21. The other is the accident, to put it that way. The investigation in Hungary will determine whether it was sabotage or a diversion," Vucic said in a video posted on Instagram.

He added that, as a result, Serbia had, or could have, problems with gas and undoubtedly had problems with oil.

He said there was absolute certainty about energy supplies until November 10 or 15 as Serbia had given all its reserves to NIS.

"What is terribly important to me is that people know that, unless we have a solution to the problems next week, we will make our own decisions in the following week to protect the population. Serbia is above and before everything, and people in Serbia need to know that we are working and fighting, and I believe we will succeed in ensuring sufficient quantities of oil derivatives, gas and electricity."